MSF what to expect

[Gunnarman]

I've signed up for a msf basic rider course on the 19th/ 20th. Any tips or advice for someone brand new to motorcycles taking the course would be much appreciated. Also just so I know what to expect any stories from people who've taken the course would also be very helpful.
Thanks guys for reading and helping out a newbie.

[algs26]

Ride a bicycle very slowly to practice your balancing skills.

Start training your muscle memory while you drive.
When coming to a stop, squeeze your right hand gradually and then right before you stop squeeze your left hand quickly.
When starting from a stop (0-5mph), open your left hand gradually and and rotate your right hand very slowly inward.

Left side shifting, right side braking.
Gears are: 1 (just keep clicking down), 1/2 click up for neutral, full click up for 2, 3,...

Relax. Relax your shoulders, (bent) arms, wrist, your grip.
Get lots of sleep.
The faster you can get used to keeping the clutch (left hand partially open) in the friction zone (where it grabs), the better.

You've been practicing for the final test all along so if you could it before, you can do it for the test
Don't kick the dog.

Have fun.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by Gunnarman

I've signed up for a msf basic rider course on the 19th/ 20th. Any tips or advice for someone brand new to motorcycles taking the course would be much appreciated. Also just so I know what to expect any stories from people who've taken the course would also be very helpful.
Thanks guys for reading and helping out a newbie.

With 89 posts you should know everything this forum has to offer. Well as long as it has to do the words (I checked your 89 posts and besides buying your bike all your post of word games).

Get a good night sleep before the course. Eat a good breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day and you're breaking the fasting of while you were sleeping. Be relaxed and ready to listen and ask questions. Have a good lunch and talk with all the others taking the course. Don't over think riding. It's as easy as SATs. Remember they frown upon wheelies and stoppies, burnouts, and redlining the bike in neutral (I have no idea why). Remember there is a test at the end but it's as easy as the rest of the course. When you're done and you have passed the course don't be over confident when riding on the street. Experience is the only thing that will keep you safe.

[adouglas]

Best advice:

Check any attitude you may have at the door. Even if you're experienced in some way or "know better" you can learn things... IF you get out of your own way and listen.

Even the boring exercises can be instructive. You'll get out of it what you bring to it.

Relax, have fun, flirt with members of the opposite sex (or the same sex if that's your thing). It'll be a great day.

If you've got a family member who's not big on the idea of you riding, have them take the course with you. I did that with my then-new wife back in the 80s, and ever since then she's been okay with me riding.

There are lots of basic skills videos on Youtube. Captain Crash is great.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9q...bjGINQP_kStToQ



Riding tip:

The bike will go where you look. Look down (which you will do instinctively) and the bike will want to go down. This, as much or more than anything else, will get you through the U-turn Box, which for my money is easily the hardest part of the course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGCgbEID83U

[Rogue]

1. Relax and try not to get stressed out.

2. Realize up front that you're probably getting stuck on a crappy bike that you would never want to own. That's okay, because it's been predinged and scuffed for your convenience.

3. Take your own helmet. I cannot stress this one enough... take your own helmet. Oh, they'll most likely lend you one if you don't, but do you really want to spend 2 days with a bunch of strangers' sweat?

4. Remember they're there to teach you, the course is designed for folks like us who had never ridden their own bike.

5. Breathe and try to have fun.

6. You're inevitably going to end up with someone in the class who's been riding for a long time and is taking the course for a refresher/support for their friend, whatever. Don't let them intimidate you, they started out all wobbly at one point, too.

7. Pay attention. You're paying good money to learn, get the most for it. Even on the 'stupid' exercises, you're going to take something away from it - keep an open mind.

8. Remember that if you blow 'the box' but do well on all other portions of the test, you'll still pass. Don't let anyone activity dictate your entire experience.

[csmith12]

Hi Grayson, you're exactly the rider the course was designed for! Soak up all the info you can get, don't be afraid to ask questions and enjoy the course because it's designed for your success.

Good luck!

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Hi Grayson, you're exactly the rider the course was designed for! Soak up all the info you can get, don't be afraid to ask questions and enjoy the course because it's designed for your success.

Good luck!

Chris (aka Pastor Chris), keep it up dude. All this goodie goodie stuff really make the rest of us look bad (except for me, I just can't ever look bad).

[antiant]

Bring lots of water and light snacks, especially if it's hot. You won't be moving much, so you want to keep your bodily fluids and sugar intake in tact, to prevent dehydration, etc. Wear light clothing and stay away from dark colored clothing. I'm not sure what the temperatures are, but if it's hot and humid, I would avoid wearing a full face helmet. You can use the borrowed helmets, just take a bandanna (soak it up in water if hot) and wear it underneath the helmet if you want to avoid other people's "cooties."

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Chris (aka Pastor Chris), keep it up dude. All this goodie goodie stuff really make the rest of us look bad (except for me, I just can't ever look bad).

Lol @ pastor, that's MSF coach to you. But yea, you're fabulous!

EDIT:

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by antiant

Bring lots of water and light snacks, especially if it's hot. You won't be moving much, so you want to keep your bodily fluids and sugar intake in tact, to prevent dehydration, etc. Wear light clothing and stay away from dark colored thoughts.

The kid's from Washington. It doesn't get out of the 50s and it's always raining!

[nickjpass]

Expect a lot of hurry up and wait

[csmith12]

I think this is what your really after.

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=105132

[csmith12]

OH! This is very important!

BE ON TIME, even better... be early! If you are late, you may lose your spot.

[Gunnarman]

Thanks everybody for the help and in Washington yes 50 and rain is two thirds or more of the year but the other third can be 70+ sometimes even 90s,but it's beautiful bike weather to bad us Washingtonians don't handle the heat very well

[Dredgshadow]

Have fun! I'm not just saying that, it is a really good experience. Don't worry about if you are going to pass. Trust me, you have to really foul it up to fail.

[swing2hard]

Every time I ride, there is a something that I remember from the course. They have alot of good things to teach that you might not have thought of even if you have been riding for a while.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by antiant

You won't be moving much, so you want to keep your bodily fluids and sugar intake in tact,

Indeed.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by Gunnarman

I've signed up for a msf basic rider course on the 19th/ 20th. Any tips or advice for someone brand new to motorcycles taking the course would be much appreciated. Also just so I know what to expect any stories from people who've taken the course would also be very helpful.
Thanks guys for reading and helping out a newbie.

Welcome to Ninjette.org and to the world of motorcycling, Grayson !!!

These old threads have some good tips and experiences:

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?p=513167

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=155980

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=170483

The course will teach you the very minimum to legally ride on the street.

My best advice is to take (and to pass) the MSF basic course only like the first step.
It is not that the course is bad, it is that you cannot acquire the needed new skills and knowledge in two or three days.
The following steps to become a proficient and safe street rider will be on you solely.
Depending on your natural abilities and number of practices, it could take several weeks or a few months.

Knowing why things work in a motorcycle the strange way in which they work is very important IMHO; reading good books about riding is essential: "Proficient Motorcycling" by David L. Hough, "Total Control" by Lee Parks and "A twist of the Wrist 2" by Keith Code are the best for you.
They may be available at your local public library.

Because of that marginal set of skills that you will have during the first weeks of riding, try staying away from heavy traffic, rain and group or night riding.

I would also remove all the non-necessary-pretty-expensive stuff from your new shinning bike.
The reason is that you may fall one or two times during your training weeks and the fairing and directional lights may be severely damaged.

Please, read also these (you have plenty of time):

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/New_Riders

http://www.msf-usa.org/library.aspx

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=121405

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39

[DavisNinja]

I took the MSF last summer and have about 800 miles on my Ninja. I really enjoyed the course, but I don't think I got as much out of it as I would now. I am going to go take an advanced rider course this summer.

You get to drive around and practice a number of different techniques, all while getting constant feedback from the instructors. I had zero time on a motorcycle before I went and the course really got me feeling more confident.

BUT! you don't spend any time on roads, or even see or observing cars. When I picked my bike up in Sacramento and had to drive it home, I was really intimidated! I hopped on on not halfway down the block a guy in a huge SUV pulls out right in front of me (emergency stop, thank you MSF). He was very apologetic and it was all fine.

I then too surface streets back, but it was still a lot of work. Getting an idea of what is around you on a bike can be harder than a car. You don't have a review mirror, your little side mirrors are, well little, and they are moving around a decent amount.

Also they tell you about counter steering, look, lean, PRESS, roll; it's counterintuitive blah blah blah. You may event think you understand it, but you don't. Until you have been out riding around above 20mph you just don't have to do it enough to realize that it is THE way the bike turns.

So I guess what I am saying is I really enjoyed the course, and it helped me very much to learn the very basics. But you ain't ready to just ride off down the street. Ride a friend's bike around the neighborhood. Practice stopping at stop signs, looking around and using your blinkers (something not taught at MSF). I know this sounds elementary, but even coming from driving manual cars forever, there is a lot going on out on a bike. You need to be aware of yourself, be predictable to others, see other drivers (no they don't see you) and remember to ride the bike! Enjoy the MSF, learn as much as you can, then go ride in the real world a bit, then maybe take another course when you have some miles under your belt

Safe riding

[NevadaWolf]

Originally Posted by DavisNinja

You don't have a review mirror, your little side mirrors are, well little, and they are moving around a decent amount.

Since I have zero to add to this thread that others haven't already said, I'll instead comment on this.

Yes, the 250 mirrors are tiny (I switched to 650 mirrors to see around my elbows) but they shouldn't be "moving around a decent amount." Make sure they are tight against the front cowling and fit snuggly into the fairing stay bracket.

There is some minor vibration at higher speeds on mine but not so much I can't recognize what it is behind me.

[Gunnarman]

Once again thanks for all the help guys just took the SATs today, so I'm looking forward to something more fun like the msf class and motorcycles

[momoru]

My main advice is to realize the MSF course only teaches about a quarter of what you should know. In fact, I'm pretty sure the word "countersteer" is never used. They tell you to "press on the direction you are turning", which I took to mean press downwards when I took it, and with the lightweight bikes they have, that essentially works.

After you finish the course, pick up Proficient Motorcycling. The MSF course is very rote and designed just to get you to pass the licensing test. Proficient Motorcycling really helped me understand the "WHY" of the things they tell you, and lots of things they never mention, such as the fact engine breaking "counts" as rear braking for traction purposes, etc... It's a never ending education!

[reroka]

Remember to have fun, dont think of the class as work, think of the class as a great way to have fun learning to ride a motor cycle.

[Gunnarman]

I PASSED!

[algs26]

Big mistake ... for your wallet.

Congrats.